Anyone else have a midwife?

Question

My mom and everyone else in my family had a doctor and I'm the oddball who chose a midwife instead. What differences should i expect?

Answer

I LOVE my midwife. I am so happy I chose her over a regular obgyn. My hour long appointments are with her the entire time. I don't have to meet or talk with any other nurses or people. She does all her labs, so I don't even need to meet with anyone else when I have to do blood or other tests. I am also the odd ball in my family, but so far I have NO REGRETS. My care has been amazing, and I love my appointments.

Answer

It really depends on whether you chose a nurse midwife / hospital birth or licensed midwife who can only delivery at your home or a private birth center. I’ve done one with a licensed midwife in a birth center and while there weren’t any major issues I decided not to do that again. I had a difficult delivery and labor ( 32 hours labor, 2.5 hours pushing with stitches afterwards). At a birth center you dont get any pain control options like at a hospital so you have to keep that in mind. I felt weak and exhausted after but they still required me to go home very quickly after the birth. He was born about 8:30 pm and I was forced to leave at 11:30 pm after being awake 2 days straight and literally being too weak to walk. My husband and sister carried me to the car. So for my second I went straight up OBGYN hospital birth. It was a breeze, I had a natural unmedicated birth same as the first, with issues. No stitches and felt good afterwards. I had no concern about going home the next day and enjoyed getting to spend the night and order room service food. The OB literally just caught the baby as it slid out, didn’t really do anything else. I knew what I was doing so it wasn’t an issue. Had it been my first I would not have liked that though. The midwife had been much more active in offering constant help and support through labor. This is my third and I’m doing the best of both this time. I’ve chosen a nurse midwife who can deliver at the hospital. I’m feeling good about it. Good luck And I hope all the info helps you!

Answer

i’m at a midwife birth center, so i see a team of 6-7 midwives, different one each appt (because they are always on call so they want to make sure that when you go into labor, you know the person delivering your baby). i LOVE it. i only saw OBs before & felt their care was much less personal & i was just a number to them. the midwives check in frequently, and ask me so many questions, AND care about how my husband is doing. i am actually excited to give birth because i know i am going to have so much support.

Answer

I used an ob with my first and midwife with my second, this one will be delivered by the same midwife! I will never go back to an ob. I get a say in everything that is done all tests or treatments that are done, I don’t have to do a urine sample every appointment unless I feel i need it. If I choose not to be weighed that is my choice. I can have a water birth and leave the hospital 4 hours after baby is born. My midwife comes to the house for all my appointments after the baby is born as well. With my first they just did things and never told me what was being done or results of anything.

Answer

I always use midwives for my care :) I had a wonderful natural labor with my daughter and hope to do so for my next daughter! 
Very patient oriented care, and they care more than drs

Answer

I adore my midwife. It’s a completely different experience than working with an OB. Midwives truly care and take time to get to know you and what you want out of your birth experience. They honor your wishes. An OB will push interventions, pressure inductions which can lead to complications. They also push vaccines, the glucose drink and cervical checks way before you ever go into labor. Midwives will give you great holistic advice and embrace the fact that birth is NOT an emergency, it is a natural thing that your body knows how to do.

Answer

We decided to go with a midwife, too! Very excited!

Answer

I also have a midwide, but I guess I don't have much to compare it to. I like her though! I feel like she asks me what *I* want rather than just saying "this is what people do".

Answer

I had a midwife for my daughter and I do this time as well. I have nothing to compare it to, but it seemed like she listened to what I wanted more. Like she let me call the shots.

Answer

I'm the same. I have a midwife and this will ne my 3rd appointment with her. She's very educational, answers every silly question I have.

Anyone else have a midwife?

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